SAVINGS BY THE BELL - Lower Your Home Heating Costs

Heating and cooling are the largest energy expenses for most U.S. homes. Worried about heating costs putting the freeze on your wallet this winter? Dave Moody, Vice President of Marketing and Customer Engagement at Service Experts shared with me three ways you can save money when heating your home. SAVINGS BY THE BELL put his advice to the test.

1) HOW LOW CAN YOU GO? - Moody's says lowering your thermostat from 73 to 68 degrees can decrease your bill by 5 percent.

SAVINGS BY THE BELL: If you know me, I'm always cold! 68 degrees in the dead of winter is a little too low for me! But we have implemented some temperature changes and noticed our bill has been lower than usual.

2) GET WITH THE PROGRAM - Moody's says if you don't have a programmable thermostat, buy one! Save money by scheduling the thermostat to heat or cool your home only when you need it.

SAVINGS BY THE BELL: This is smart advice. Program your thermostat or lower it manually - whatever works for you. When we are at work or on vacation, we make sure our boiler isn't working overtime. Both changes have resulted in savings.

3) I FEEL GOOD: Moody says smart consumers should schedule tune-ups of their heating system once a year. Not only will it catch small problems before they get big, it will save you money in the long run.

SAVINGS BY THE BELL: Last year, we signed up for a maintenance agreement which included heating, cooling and plumbing. The $300 contract covered a free system check at the beginning of the season and discounted rates for any work we might need. Buying the contract was a valuable investment. Pipes burst twice in my home during the winter. We also had an issue with the boiler, central air conditioning unit and toilets - all in one year. Not only did we save money with all the work that was done, the company also waived fee they normally charge to send out a technician on each visit.

The School Bell has rung! Class dismissed!